Combined socket and snap switch



Feb. 23, 1932. G. EATON 1,846,799

COMBINED SOCKET AND SNAP swnca Filed April 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 23, 1932. EATON 1,846,799

COMBINED SOCKET AND SNAP SWITCH Filed April 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y INVENTOR. I

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 23, 1932- GEORGE Enron, 's cLnvnnn-nniomo,'AssIG oR T0 MAYc; Eamon, or, BALtrIMoRE,

, a V p and will snap open when'released.

1 column-1n) sooKET Application filed A ril 27;

This invention relates to a combined socket and'snap switch andmore particularly relates to a socket structure embodying a recoil snap switch wherein the switch will operate to snap on when manually operated and will snap off when released, so that during operation, the switch must beheld closed The invention is particularly designed for use in connection with electrically-heated hand tools such for-example as sad irons, curling irons or soldering irons. 1

It is not an infrequent thing for a person using an electrically-heated hand tool. to be called away withoutfirst cuttingofi' the heating current and this oversight involves .dan gers'su'ch as mayarise from overheated iron besides causing a waste of current.

The present invention is directed to a com bined socket and snap switch structure for attachment. tov the electrically-heated handtool to control the 'currentwhich snap switch will be manipulated by the hand whichcontrols the tool. and which operates to-snap on when the tool is grasped and will only so :as .to prevent arcing ofthe current when the circuit is closed or opened. 7 V V The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein, 5 7

Fig. 1 shows a sad iron to which is attached my improved socket and snap-switch,-the parts being shown in side elevation.

Fig. 2 illustrates the detached socket and switch in side elevation. I r m Fig. 3 shows the same in front elevation with the switch-lever broken off and in sec- .tion.

Fig. 4 illustrates one-half of thesocket and switch body with the connections an'dparts attached thBI'8tO,-tl161COVQI portion being removed. j Fig. 5 shows an enlargedcross-sectional detail through the device including the cover remain on as long as it is heldby the hand and V which will snap off when the tool is released AND' s vAP SWITCH 192 Serial no 104,865.

and portrayingthe structure as the same 7 7 would -appear if viewed on the line.5 5 of Fig. 4. I

F ig'. 6 illustratesa sectional detail through the switch-frame and actuating lever todisclose the snap-switch yokeand the springdevice for snapping the same into engagement .or fromengagement with the circuitclosing contacts. Fig.7 shows the same elevation.

' 1 L Fig. 8 illustrates in a diagrammatic way the snap-switch-yoke and the contacts with 1 which it co Fig. 9 shows the detached snaprswitchyoke in perspective.

Referring to the drawings acts; to close or open the circuit;

and particularly'Figs. 1 and 5 thereof, the numeral10, designates one-half ofthe body member and 11 1 the other half ofthe same. The two halves being formed of an insulating material'and having recesses or cavities to'receive the conductors and switch parts.

- In the structure shown the'cable 12, enters-'- one endofthe body and has one wire 13 thereof extended laterally and connected to parts viewed in side a conductor plate 14, that lies in a longitudi- Y This conductor plate 14:, has one endcon- :nected to a clip terminall16 that receives one Theotherwirel'r' of the cable extendslats 1 erally-in'an opposite direction from-the wire l '13 and-connects with one end of another con- 7 .nal passage or recess 15, in the body-part 10. V

ductor-plate18 which latteris carriedin a passage or'groove 19 in saidbody-part 10.

This conductor-plate 18, has'an off-set free end 20, which forms one blade of a switch while in aplanebeneath' said end 20 there is another conductor-plate 21 whichhas a yielding'and off-set free end 22 which laps but. is

in spaced. relation with respect to the free end 20.

These two free and yielding ends 20 and 22 therefore'together form the two spaced contacts of the switch with which amovable on the-tool or iron.

Thepresent invention hasnothing to do with the heating element in the tool or iron andthe same .is therefore not illustrated in V,

the present case. V

' In order to render the structure more compact, I provide the body-part 10 with a'cav; ity 24 and the body-part 11 with a companion cavity 25, at andadjacent-to the .point Where the two yielding contact ends 20 and 22' are located-so thatthe improved snap s'witch elements which areto engage and disengage the said contact ends may be entirely concealed and enclosed by said two bodyparts.

' The snap-switch elements will therefore now be explained referencebeing made particularly to Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive in the drawings.

The switch structure-is mounted .on a frame including an upper plate 26, a lower plate'27 and spaced apart'connecting side bars 28 which connect said two plates at one side only thereby'forming a gaporslot-29 between theconnecting bars at said one side. At the opposite side the frame is completely open between said upper and lower plates so "that thejframe-isof a U-shape'with one complete open side. i Y

The metal that is disturbed-by forming the side slot 29-is bent at a rightangle with respectto-the upper plate 26 and forms-an upstanding bra-cket30, for a: purpose that will presently be explained. I r

*The frame snugly fits into the recess 24 that is formed in the lowerbody-part 10 but the-upperplate 26v of the frame is provided with two ears "31 at the upper 'andwlower edges thereof which ears project over the marginal edge of the said recess so that retaining screws may rigidlyhold it down in the recess.

Between the upper and lower plates 26+27 ofthe frame I locate a snap-switch yoke 32, which'is shown in perspective in Fig-9 o1 the drawings This yoke-has two'vertically disposed side bars and two connecting end bars whereby to foi'1n"a rectangular yoke frameand from one endbar there projects apin'33. I

Ea'chside bar of the switch yoke is provided witha bottom edgelug 34 in which there is formed a notch 35, and each side bar has apintleperforation' 36 directly over the notch therein.

3 By reference to Figs.'6'and 9 of the drawings, it will be seen that the perforations 36 and the notches 85, are located nearer to one end of the yoke than theother and so that when the'yoke is pivotally sustained through the perforations36 such pivot will be nearer one end than the other. 'The purpose of this will presently be explained. a.

The snap switch yoke fits snugly between the plates 2627 of the switch-frame with the two side bars'of'the'yoke confronting the inner sidesof said plates and a pintle' pin or screw 37 pivotally connects the yoke with the said plates "whereby the yoke may rock be tween said upper 'and lower plates. "'l/V'hen in place between the plates thepin 33 of the yoke; projects through the side gap or slot 29 as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. 7

Beneath, the switch yoke and between the plates 20-2? there is a loosely mounted crossstud 38, which latter has a diametrically extending pin-passage or perforatio'n-39 extendingtherethrou-gh and a stem 40-has-its lower end extending freely throughthe pin passage while its upper end carries a crosshead-'41 whose outer-ends '42,- loosely fit into the notc-hes 35 ofthe yoke while itscentral portion 43, -projec ts between the'two side bars of the yoke. 1

A coiled spring 44, encircles the stem-40 and :is compressed between the cross-stud-88 and the cross-head 41 so that said springiconstantly :pushes upwardly under the crosshead and presseslthe ends 42:01? said head up into? the notches -35 of the side bars of the yoke. .As' this upward pressure ofthe .stem against the yokeis-atza point beneathithe pivot perforations 36, if'the yoke-be rocked on the pin or screw 37 such rocking will cause the upper end. of the stein40 totswingnb eneath the pinor screw from one .side togthe other ofrthe :latter and :as :it' passes beneath thercenter of the'screw to) exert. anupward push on .the yoke thatwillcause the-latter to snap in the direction in which it is being conductor plates 18 and 21; respectively so thatwhenthe yokeis rocked said end 45; 'will.

swing up while :the pin,..33 inzthe opposite end is depressed and after the yoke has swung far. enough to-shit't the stem 40. and its crosshead 41, to the left ofthe center of thescirew 37. shown in Fig; {6, thecoiled spring 44 will cause the yoke to snap forw'ard'and drive the end 45 betweenthe contact ends 20 and 22 thereby makinga quick snapcontact en'g'a ge-- ment with said contact ends."

The preliminary movement. of the yoke is effected manually by a lever 46, that engages the pin 33 of said; yoke but the actual snap contactof the yoke is niade quicklyafte'r the lever 46 has moved the yoke until the stem is rocked past the center of the pivot screw 37. i p i In accordance with my invention, I construct this snap switch so that the yoke will normally be held out of engagement with the contact ends 20 and 22 and further that it must be manually held in engagement with said contact ends-and in addition to these features the switch shall make a snap engagement with the contacts and a snap disengagement from said contacts.

The snap operation to engage and disengage the yoke with and from the contacts 2022 is effected, as explained, by the stem 40, spring 44 and the cross-head 41, but the preliminary movement imparted to the yoke to enable the stem, spring and cross-head to produce the snap operation'is effected by the manually controlled lever 46, which lever is manually operated against the action. of a spring to close the circuit and must be held' against the action of that spring as long as such contact is to be maintained because when the lever is released its spring causes the preliminary recoil movement to the yoke which movement is then completed by the yokespring 44 and stem 40 to effect a snap opening of the circuit.

' The construction and arrangement of the manually controlled lever 46 will therefore now be explained.

The'upstanding bracketSO formed with V the material removed from the switch frame in producing the side gap or slot 29, sustains a cross-pin 47 on which the lever 46 is pivot ally mounted and the inner end of this leveris bifurcated so as to produce two spaced prongs 48, which latter straddle the pin 33 on the end of the yoke. The outer end of the lever 46 is engaged with an insulating handle 49 which latter extends through a slot 50 in the cover or body-part 11 as shown in Fig. 5'

of the drawings.

A coiled spring 51 is wound about the lever pin 47 and has one end engaged with the lever and the other end engaged with the bracket 30 and the tension of this springis such as to normally hold the lever 46 in a position that will enable one of the prongs 48 to engage the yoke pin 33, and maintain the yoke in a cut-out position but when the lever is swung against the tension of the coiled sprin 51 the other prong 48, will engage the pin 38 and impart the preliminary movement to the yoke until the latter is swung over far enough to permit its spring 44, to snap it forward.

The lever 4649 will then be held by the hand of the operator as long as it is desired to keep the switch closed but when released,

either intentionally or by accident and without any thought as to cutting off the current, thelever will spring back and will thus impart a preliminary release to the yoke until the spring 44 again takes up the recoil moveim ent 'and'eifects a snap-off ofthe switch. ;-.='The entire structure is such that when athandle-is grasped; to 'manipulate the r iron 'thelever49n1ay'be held up and the switch thushel d closed, V a 1 If the'operatorIof the tool releases the latter suclrrelease will cause the lever 49 to move so as to automatically cut-01f the currentja nd 'Havingdes cribed my invention, claim the cutting off. will be effectedby a snap operation so as'to prevent arcing of the cur rent. 7 so 1. The combination with an electric hand 7 means supported entirely by and within the body and extending from the latter past the side of the handle of the electric handtool and below the handle grip so it may be en gaged by the fingers of the hand holdingthe tool, said manual means being entirely free of and altogether disconnected from said tool-handle and extending through the wall of said body so as to actuate the switch within the body for closing the circuit andholding the same closed as long as the same is held by the fingers of the hand holding thetool, said manual means being confined at all times substantially within the lateral limits'of the Q i v tool handle grip, and means for automatically returning the manualmeans when the same is released and causing the switch to snap open. a

with a self-contained-body having readily attachable and detachable connectors for engaging a hand tool and provided with spaced contact plates, of a pivoted switch lever in the body for co-operation with said contact to the pivot point of said switch lever so as to snap. the switch lever to either closedor lever being providedwith a spring whereby 2. In a socket structure the combination 4 plates,spring' means arranged with respect open position after the lever-has been moved it is normally actuatedso as. to efiect an opening of the switch but arranged to be held manually so as to maintain the switch closed, whereby upon release of the hand- I lever the same will automatically move to normal position and thereby open the switch.

8. 'In a socket structure the combination with a self-contained body having readily attachable and detachable connectors for engaging a hand tool and provided with spaced 4 v i V 1,846,799'

contact plates iof a snap-switch yoke pivoted as a singlemernber Within the body, spyingmeanehavingdireet engagement with the pivotal region of theyoke'for snapping the 9 game to eithef a closedor open position after the, :yoke has been; moved past dead-center,

. and a spring actuated hand lever having its spring housed Within said body 'f0r yield-' I ingly holding the yoke in a ont ofi position, I

7 f whereby the hand lever may be movedmanually and-heldas long as it is desired-to keep the yoke in a closed position. V r V In testimony whereof- I afiix'my signature.-

" v GEORGE EATON; 

